Amusement device



March 22, 1938. E, F. ERHARDT ET Aa. 2,111,848

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed May 6, 1957 Patented Mar. 22, 1938 aura MUSENENT- DEVKCE Edward F. Erhardt andscar A. Dammeyer, New Bremen, Ohio Application May c, i937, sensi No. 141,116 v 6 ciaims. (el. 27a- 51) `It is a further object of this invention to pro-V vide such a device, whereon a rider or operator may, by merely shifting theweight of his body successively. from one foot to the other. foot, cause himself to be conveyed in a circular path of substantial radius.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such ka device which is of cheap and simple construction, which is extremely efficient, and which may be operated at substantial speed by `one or more persons of slight weight or of varying weights with the utmost comfort and safety.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a construction wherein theiutmost protection, from the elements, of the bearing structure is provided and wherein the utmost strength and ruggedness is achieved for the weight of the device.

It is a further object of this `invention to provide such a device comprising an upright stand ard adapted to be secured directly in the earth or rigidly to a suitable platform, having thereon a head construction including a pair of rotatable and oscillatable sleeves, each provided with a'plurality of radial arms adapted 'to support stirrups or other weight supporting members which may be engaged by the feet or other parts of an operator who, by merely shifting his weight, may cause rotary and oscillating movement of the respective sleeves and supported arms, whereby the operator will travel in av rotary path about the standard. i

These and other objects and advantages will appear from. the following description taken in connection with the drawing.

In the drawing: Y

Figure 1 is an elevational View 'of the amusement device of this invention, with thevweight supporting members of two arms broken away;

Figure 2 is an elevational View, in section, of the head construction of the device with the radial arms thereof broken away; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrative of the attachment of the weight supporting members to the radial arms.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and with reference particularly to Figure l, the standard I is adapted to be vertically disposed with its lower end imbedded in the ground 2 or in concrete, or the like cast thereabout. The lower end of the standard I may beprovided with a suitable flange whereby` it may-be boltedor otherwise secured to any desired platform. At its upper end, the standard i terminates in a flange 3, upon which is supported the base flange 5 of the stub shaft il. Supported on the upper side of the base flange is the bearing plate 6. The bolts 'i extend through suitable apertures in the flange 3, the base ange E of the stub shaft and the bearing plate 5, and are provided with nuts 8, whereby the members are rigidly and clampingly secured together.

The base flange 5 of the stub shaft is of inclined cross section, as illustrated in Figure 2, whereby the am's of the lower portion fla of the stub shaft 'd is inclined with respect to the axis of the stand# 'in ard l. The stub shaft 4 has the upper portion ib thereof inclined to the lower portion da thereof for a purpose which will .hereinafter more clearly appear. An end thrust ball bearing comprising the lower race 9 separated by balls iii from the .a

upper race l i rests upon the bearing plate 5.

The upper side of the upper race ii supports f the lower sleeve i2 which is cylindrical and which.

is provided at its upper end with a bevel gear i3 rigidly secured thereto, as by welding. The lower sleeve i2 is adapted to rotate about the axis of the lower portion la of the stub shaft d, and cylindrical. roller bearing members ii are provided between the lower portion la of the stub shaft et and the inner wall of the lower sleeve l2.

in order to reduce friction to a minimum and to provide for radial thrust. Any suitable means (not shown) may be provided for retaining the bearing members vlll against axial movenient within the lower sleeve i2.

The upper sleeve i6 is similar tc the lower sleeve l2 and is provided at its lower end with the rigidly attached bevel gear i5 which is secured thereto in the same manner in which the gear l 3 is secured to the lower sleeve i2 and Whichgear ,l5 is adapted to mesh with the gear it, as illustrated in Figure 2. Roller bearing members It are disposed between the `upper portion lb of the .stub shaft and the inner wall of the sleeve lli each. Each arm, as shown, comprises an upper arm member I8 having its inner end welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the supporting sleeve and a lower arm member I9 having its inner end secured in like manner to the sleeve at a point substantially spaced below the point of attachment of the upper arm member I8 to the sleeve. The upper arm member I8 has its outer end welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the lower arm member I9 at a point adjacent its end, as shown in Figure l. The upper and lower arm members I8 and I9 are preferably angle members of V-section.

As shown particularly in Figure 3, the upper and lower arm members I8 and I9 are provided adjacent their connected end portions with aligned apertures adapted to receive the eyebolt 20 disposed therethrough and provided at its upper end with a nut 2|. Below the apertures, a spacer member 22 of triangular section is disposed and cooperates with the nut 2I to secure the eyebolt 2i! rigidly in position. Due to this construction, it is possible to eliminate all other means of attachment of the outer ends of the upper and lower arm members I8 and I9, although it is preferred by us that Such members be rigidly secured together, as by welding. Adapted to engage the eye of each eyebolt 2l! is a hook member 23a which has its lower end rigidly secured, as by welding, to the pipe member 23 which has rigidly secured to the lower end thereof a sheet metal stirrup 24. As shown in Figure 3, the stirrups are each secured to their supporting pipes 23 by means of pins 25 having their ends upset, although, as will be most clearly understood, the stirrups may be welded to the lower ends of the pipes 23.

As shown in Figure l, each lower arm is disposed a substantial distance to one side of the corresponding upper arm, in such manner that an operator or rider may stand in the stirrups of the adjacent pipes 23 and grasp with each hand one end of the pipe 23. The pipes 23 are al1 of equal length. If the rider places his feet in the stirrups shown at the left of Figure l, the left foot will be disposed substantially higher than the right foot. If the rlders full weight is then shifted to the higher left foot, the upper arm will be drawn down` toward the lower arm at that point, so that the sleeves I2 and I6 will be revolved about the stub shaft 4 for substantially 180 degrees, at which point the left foot of the rider will be lower than the right foot. If the weight is then shifted from the left foot to the higher right foot, the sleeves I2 and I6 will be again revolved through degrees and the rider will have returned to his original position and the leithandstirrup 24 will be substantially above the righthand stirrup 24, as seen at the left of Figure l.

Due to the provision of the antifriction means in the operating head of the device, the swing or amusement device may be operated by a single rider of very slight Weight, such as a small child. The number of arms provided on each of the sleeves l2 and I6 may be varied as desired and, where the device is made substantially large, it may, of course, be desired that a substantial number of arms be provided. However, due to the simplicity of the design, the device may be made substantially small and only a pair, for instance, of arms provided on each sleeve. vThe device may be operated by a single rider or passenger or by any number, up to and including the number of arms provided on each sleeve I 6.

While each of the arms has been shown and described as provided with a stirrup for supporting the weight of the rider, it is, of course, to be understood that suitable manually engageable members may be provided at suitable distance from the ground, whereby the passenger may suspend himself from these members by grasping them with his hands and shifting his weight successively from one hand to the other. This arrangement is particularly desirable for the exercising and development of certain arm, shoulder and back muscles, and also the development of the chest, the abdomen and muscles of the arms and legs.

It will be understood that the above-described structure is merely illustrative of the manner in which the principles of our invention may be utilized, and that we desire to comprehend within ourinvention such modifications as come within the scope of the claims and the invention.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an amusement device, an upright standard, a bent stub shaft on said standard, a rotat-f4 able sleeve on each bent portion of said stub shaft, a pair of meshing gears, each secured to one of said sleeves, and a weight supporting arm on each of said sleeves.

2. In an amusement device, an upright stand-l ard, a bent stub shaft on said standard, a rotatable sleeve on each bent portion of said stub shaft, a pair of meshing gears, each secured to one of said sleeves, a weight supporting arm on each of said sleeves, a rod on each arm, and a weight supporting member on each rod.

3. In an amusement device, an upright standard, a bent stub shaft on said standard, a rotatable sleeve on each bent portion of said stub shaft, a pair of meshing gears, each secured to one of said sleeves, a Weight supporting arm on each of said sleeves, a rod on each arm, and a stirrup on each rod.

4. In an amusement device, an upright standard, a stub shaft at the top thereof, a pair of joining bent portions on said stub shaft, a sleeve rotatable on each bent portion of said stub shaft, a pair of meshing gears each attached to one end of one of said sleeves, a plurality of radial arms on each sleeve, and weight supporting means on each of said arms.

5. In an amusement device, an upright standard, a stub shaft at the top thereof, a pair of joining bent portions on said stub shaft, a sleeve rotatable on each bent portion of said stub shaft,

a pair of meshing gears each attached to one end of one of said sleeves, a plurality of radial arms on each sleeve, and Weight supporting means on each of said arms each including a rod pivotally attached at its upper end to one of said arms and having a stirrup at its lower end.

6. In an amusement device, an upright standard, a head mechanism thereon, said head mechanism including a pair of rotatable sleeves and a pair of meshing gears each secured to one of said sleeves, a radial arm on each of said sleeves, and weight supporting means on each of said arms, said head mechanism including means for translating relative vertical movement between said arms into rotary swinging movement of said arms and the weight supporting members attached thereto.

EDWARD F. ERHARDI'. OSCAR A. DAMMEYER. 

